APOBEC4, a New Member of the AID/APOBEC Family of Polynucleotide (Deoxy)Cytidine Deaminases Predicted by Computational Analysis

Using iterative database searches, we identified a new subfamily of the AID/APOBEC family of RNA/DNA editing cytidine deaminases. The new subfamily, which is represented by readily identifiable orthologs in mammals, chicken, and frog, but not fishes, was designated APOBEC4. The zinc-coordinating motifs involved in catalysis and the secondary structure of the APOBEC4 deaminase domain are evolutionarily conserved, suggesting that APOBEC4 proteins are active polynucleotide (deoxy)cytidine deaminases. In reconstructed maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees, APOBEC4 forms a distinct clade with a high statistical support. APOBEC4 and APOBEC1 are joined in a moderately supported cluster clearly separated from AID, APOBEC2 and APOBEC3 subfamilies. In mammals, APOBEC4 is expressed primarily in testis which suggests the possibility that it is an editing enzyme for mRNAs involved in spermatogenesis.